UK 2010 remastered pressing. Seemingly from another world (but really just from Canada) harpist/songwriter Loreena McKennitt possesses a multi-octave singing voice that lights up her celestial, Celtic-derived compositions.... more &raquo She often matches classic British poetry with original music that mines neoclassical terrain mixed with Elizabethan folk, Middle Eastern styles, and other ethnic influences. She has been releasing albums of her unique music since the mid-1980s to a devoted following, and she'd remained an independent artist until the late '90s, when she signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers. McKennit continued to record and tour selectively on her own schedule into the 2000s.&laquo less

Synopsis

Album Description

UK 2010 remastered pressing. Seemingly from another world (but really just from Canada) harpist/songwriter Loreena McKennitt possesses a multi-octave singing voice that lights up her celestial, Celtic-derived compositions. She often matches classic British poetry with original music that mines neoclassical terrain mixed with Elizabethan folk, Middle Eastern styles, and other ethnic influences. She has been releasing albums of her unique music since the mid-1980s to a devoted following, and she'd remained an independent artist until the late '90s, when she signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers. McKennit continued to record and tour selectively on her own schedule into the 2000s.

CD Reviews

Parallel Dreams

torifan2004 | new Mexico | 02/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a truly wondrous album. Loreena McKennitt first swept me away when I heard "The Mummer's Dance" in 1997. Her voice is angelic and amazing, and she is an fabulous musician as well. This album, "Parallel Dreams," seems to be a forgotten treasure. I personally had a very hard time finding it, unlike some others ("The Book of Secrets and "The Mask and Mirror"). It needs more appreciation! Listen to this CD- I guarantee you'll be swept of your feet."

Fusion music of nuance and mystery!

Brianna Neal | USA | 10/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is with this album that McKennitt's awesome talent as a composer/arranger truly finds that distinctive voice--somewhere in between Celtic, jazz, folk and world music--that is so prominent and beloved in her later work. Most of the music and some of the lyrics as well on "Parallel Dreams" are written by McKennitt in their entirety rather than being arrangements of traditional tunes or poems. There's still a sense of quiet restraint about many of the songs on this album, but this time it's underlain by a pregnant intensity of synth chords and percussion, released into the music just enough to give it an air of mysterious purpose without overwhelming McKennitt's ethereal vocals and nuanced harpistry. Guest musicians include Rick Lazar on udu drum and congas, Ratesh Dasj on tablas, guitarist Brian Hughes, violinist Oliver Schroer, cellist, bass and tamboura player George Koller, mandolin-player David Woodhead, piper Patrick Hutchinson, percussionist Al Cross, and Shelly Berger on pzud. Loreena McKennitt's previous album is "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," and the next one in the sequence, continuing her intriguing development as a composer, is "The Visit." I love everything she's ever done-- she's as true a talent and as creative a genius as you could ever wish for in a musician. But what impresses me most about her is how stirringly and satisfyingly her work has evolved over the years. She just keeps getting better and better! Try also the Celtic / folk / world music stylings of singer and multi-instrumentalist Kate Price and the work of dreamy vocalist / pianist Lydia McCauley."